I gripped the roof’s gutter trying to pull myself back up.
The tiles were slippy from the sleet that had fallen since dusk. I gritted my teeth and swung a leg up ignoring how the metal bit into my hands or the how its sharp edge sliced my thigh through the leather trousers I had on. Better to be sliced up a little than splattered on the ground below. If only I had been born with shifter blood, but alas I didn't even know whose blood ran through my veins. The mansion I was on top of was four stories high but I was on the third story. What was a seventeen year old girl doing on a roof?
Oh that’s easy I’m a thief.
I’ve been stealing since I turned thirteen and got lost. I ended up asking an orphanage for directions and saw the poverty. See I was spoiled but then my parents were killed in an ‘accidental’ fire when I turned thirteen and bonded with water, yeah happy birthday me, not. Everyone thought I died in the accident but there was no accident. My parents and five year old brother were murdered the estate burned to cover it up.
I was adopted so they weren’t my biological parents but they might as well have been. I grew up quickly living in the forest. When I saw those kids digging in the dirt for food and trying to catch mice to eat them, I thought ‘this could have been me’. I decided that I was going to fix everything, no matter the cost. In the name of everything good and prosperous, things were going to change. A lot for a thirteen year old girl to put one her shoulders yeah but I’ve never been… normal.
Our continent, Oceana, was supposed to be so prosperous and good yet there were children going hungry. Some government we had. So I became a thief.
Well more of I took from the rich to feed the poor, than the greedy take all you can and horde it away type of thief, so yeah I’m an entirely new class of thief. Mind you I won’t steal from just anyone. I steal from other criminals, pretty ironic I know. I had morals they were just… a little twisted to most I suppose.
I lay on my back panting hard on the roof and finally took notice to my injuries. These were going to be difficult to hide tomorrow. I grimaced at the thought. Yeah… more like impossible to hide but maybe the water would help me out again. I shook my head, I’d jump that puddle when I came to it. I quickly wrapped my cuts so as to not leave a trail of red behind me. No use giving them something to track me by. I rolled onto my stomach deciding that crawling was the best way to not fall to my death. Their final roof is has a small incline with the top being completely flat and a small trap door leading down in to their home, well more like a castle than a home.
The tiles gnawed through my worn leather clothes making sharp icy strokes against my skin with their icy crystals from the sleet that had started to fall lightly once more. I could have it melted it away but then I’d leave evidence that I was here. I inched along up the gentle slope till I grab the top. Almost there… I swung my injured leg over the side and sighed as I straddled the stone ledge my upper body laying flat against it trying to catch my breath. Adrenaline pumped through my veins and my heart beat drummed in my ears but then I heard another join it. I acted like I didn’t know anyone was there.
“Well this certainly wasn’t what I was expecting to find when I decided to come out for a smoke,” sounded a deeply masculine voice that sent trepidation rippling over my skin.
I stopped breathing for a moment mimicking surprise and quickly decided how to play this. Option one, badass from the start, Option two, seductive then badass or Option three abandon the mission. I went for option two. I straightened slowly, arching my back and twisting as I did so to look at him from under my blue mask. I was such a tease, it’ was slightly disgusting, actually no scratch that it was extremely disgusting yet so empowering at the same time.
Yes I wore a mask; I couldn’t have people recognizing me after all. “I don’t imagine it is, Mister…” I trailed off as I gave him an obvious once over that was supposed to seem sensual. By all that is good I haven’t had to do this in awhile. What worried me the most though, was that this boy… no man was young; say maybe a year or two older than myself. I bit my lip while I appreciated his build. If it were under different circumstances I might actually be interested. I racked my brain to think who this could be. There wasn’t supposed to be anyone home.
How do I know this? Mr. and Madam Slington were off on doing business in the Moon Sea region. They had no children so who was this? Not to mention they were dwarves and this man was clearly a giant, I could tell just from his stature and dress, which was quiet fancy judging by his embroidered outer coat, he was clearly from wealth.
The man paused and tilted his head at me studying me in the same way I had him. For a moment I wondered how he saw me. Did he see the same leggy slim figure with obvious curves that I see when I look in the mirror, or my long hair that is neither red nor blond in a plated braid down my back? I tilt my head as I snap back to the present. I swung my leg over casually and let a small sly smile slip onto my face “Do you have a name or do I get to give you one?” I asked with feigned innocence.
I sat on the wall poised to hop off; leaning slightly forward, after all men usually couldn’t seem to think straight near a girl in snug fitted leather, bigoted maggots.
He smirked at me his cigar case forgotten on wall caddy corner to my position. I made a mental note to grab one after I knocked him out.
“I’ll introduce myself after you do,” his attractive features playful as he checked me out again.
I grinned at him “Tsk, tsk tsk, I asked you first.”
He shook his head with a lopsided smirk.
“Well then Ciggy it is.” I slide off the wall and move gracefully closer glad that those stupid lessons on dance were actually useful for something, even if I did secretly enjoy them.
He raised an eyebrow seemingly unaware that I was getting closer to him. “Why on earth did you choose that?”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Landscapes this boy is slow, he just became less attractive. I pushed a tolerant grin on my face as I swayed my hips subtly, stalking my prey and whispered huskily “You came out to smoke didn’t you Ciggy? Or did you have something else in mind…”
I was but a foot away and moving closer looking up at him mischievously as I said the last part. I held back the vomit at the thought of what I was implying. The saddest part was I’d yet to run into a male that had seen through this little act yet. It was actually rather disturbing, what had happened to romance and love?
Ciggy swallowed reading the ‘subtle’ hint loud and clear. “W-well, now that you mention it why not?”
I was right in front of him now and I smelled the intoxication in his breath and it was evident in his slightly sluggish movements. Perhaps he wasn’t entirely stupid just drunk. Oh well neither was attractive.
I grabbed his jacket smoothing my hands up on to his shoulders slowly. I went up on my tip toes and looked up at him and bit my lip as if in indecision. Then I put one hand behind his head grabbing it and pulling him down, moving as if I was going to go closer to his lips with mine. As if under a trance his eyes fell closed and at the very last second I nicked his neck with my ring and turned my head making him miss my face entirely. By the time he opened his eyes and blinked back to reality from the lustful haze he was, in the sleeping drug was taking affect.
“You want to know why not? Because I’m not easy, you should try thinking with something other than your man part or people may begin to think you have a really small intellect.”
His eyes widened in shock right before he dropped over unconscious. I didn’t let him fall, I set him down gently. I wasn’t a man hating monster; I just didn’t feel particularly fuzzy feelings toward them in general. I didn’t worry about the cold bothering him because the drug only lasted twenty minutes and he had a coat and hat on. Finally I could get back to work. I twirled around and headed to the door that he had come up. I paused and turned back around and picked up a cigar and sniffed it, eh it looked expensive; so I pocketed it.
Hey, what could I say? He had cost me precious time to sleep. I didn’t waste any more time and jetted over to the door. I could let myself out the front once I got inside. All I had to do was find a safe or a jewelry box. I needed to hurry otherwise I wouldn’t get much sleep before dawn.
The halls were lit so I didn’t have to stumble in the dark, a nice but odd perk or so I thought until I heard voices and music. More people! What did they decide to have a party while they were gone? Did someone else break in to have a party? Or… no. Not possible. I had the right house.
Right?
I heard footsteps and ducked in the closest door shutting it softly. I sighed and leaned against it slightly. I had the right house… didn’t I?
“Hiding from someone are we?” asked a deep voice filled with amusement.
I jumped and spun around at the same time. A hand automatically found itself at my throat from being so startled. Where was my mind that he was capable of popping up on me without me even noticing? My eyes checked him out quickly trying to figure out how I could possibly handle the situation. There were so many problems coming to head.
I let my hand fall to my side and pretended to sigh in relief making my posture relax as if I was supposed to be here, but one look at his fancy attire told me that this was going to be hard to talk myself out of. He was abnormally tall and broad; I immediately classified him as a giant.
I most definitely was in the wrong house as the Slingtons were dwarves and didn’t associate well with giant descendants, some pesky rivalry of some kind; I personally thought it was just small man’s syndrome. My wide green eyes collided with his amused grey ones, or were they blue I was too far away to see them clearly in the dim light of the library.
“You could say that…” I said hardly having to make my voice sound uncertain. I was on thin ice and I knew it. I glanced at the hanging grandfather clock on the wall and grimaced it was 2:30 already.
“Look, I’m sorry if I bothered you. Good night.” I said as my hand rested on the handle behind my back and I grabbed it and pushed. I turned as I stepped out quickly. Almost there, just get to the nearest window. That was all I had to do.
A hand clasped on my arm landing on a bruise and I bit back whimper of pain. I looked back to see who was stopping my escape already knowing but wishing it weren’t so.
My eyes met his eyes of neither gray nor blue but a mix of both they were stunning and cold, very cold. I decided he was rather influential judging by his baring and a shiver ran through me. My skin heated automatically in a deep flush of alarm, as if preparing itself to fight of the cold his touch would bring. I am tall enough to have giant blood but I do not have any of their signature features. I am only five feet eleven inches tall while most giants range from seven to nine feet tall.
Finally his voice rang through the air again only it was no longer amused, “You are not going anywhere till you tell me what you are doing in my Uncle’s house.”
I swallowed when he pulled my back into the room dragging me to the desk he had been leaning on earlier. My first guess was this was the library but as I scanned the area for anything helpful should I need to fight my way out, I realized it was instead a large office. When he turned back to face me I painted on a confused face, feeling both grateful and frustrated for having a mask on. It would make my explanation more difficult. “I… I don’t know what I am doing here…”-which is a partial truth this has to be the wrong address-“last thing I remember is parking the wagon outside the pub where the mask party was. I stepped off and then wham… I woke up here,” and the rest was a blatant lie.
I silently congratulated myself for my quick thinking, this way I wouldn’t have to explain my injuries.
A look of skepticism remained on his face. Suddenly a thought came to me, “Wait a minute, your Uncle. What’s his name…?”
The man blinked and with a clear voice said “His name is Sir Ivan Calder.”
I opened my eyes and inhaled quickly in very real surprise and shock. His uncle was on the head council for our third of Oceana, and as corrupted as they came. Oceana was split into three parts, the first was home to the shifters and the guardians, the second to giants and dwarves, the third to elves and fairies all of whom were either bonded with water or were loyal to Oceana. I swallowed and did a quick nod as if in respect but in reality my blood ran like frost at that revelation. It looked as if I would be stealing something after all…
“C-can I p-please go home then S-sir?” I stammered out keeping my frightened façade. I tugged on my wrist which was still in his grasp.
The man tilted his head down and mumbled, “I am afraid that will not be possible.”His grip on my bruised wrist remained tight.
“W-what? W-why?” I stuttered out, his constant contact with my skin annoying me.
“Because don’t you think those who napped you will want to take you again?”
My lips trembled… in anger but I played it off as fear, it was a fine time for a man to act concerned. I jutted out my chin, my spin straightening automatically and said “Yes but I’ll be conscious of their intent now. I’ll stay in close proximity to others and arm myself. I’ll be perfectly safe but your concern is thoughtful.” Too late after I said this did I realize that is sounded well educated, an uncommon occurrence for most women. I swore quickly as I saw him blink; taken aback by my wording.
His mouth opened in astonishment and using his surprise I slipped out of his grip and ran into the hall slamming the door and calling on the water to freeze it shut as I did. Ice ran along the edges of the wood creating a small obstacle to buy myself time, not much but it might by me a few seconds. I ran down a set of stairs, took a left and opened the first door I came to and shut it just as quickly. I made a disgusted face as I raced along, people really shouldn’t be doing that in another person’s bed.
I opened the next door peeked in and sighed as I slumped against the frame, jackpot, a master bedroom with a large dresser, with a nice large jewelry box on top of it. I closed the door softly glad that the skies had cleared so the moonlight lit the room. I went over quickly ignoring the plush carpet beneath my leather boots and how the gray wood gleamed as if freshly cut and then polished. I slid my injured hand into a glove and opened the box. I pulled out what was on top. The ones on top would either be what the madam wore the most, meaning it would be noticed missing almost immediately or imitation, either way they were worthless to me. I pulled out four pieces of jewelry. A ring, a tiara, a pendant and a bracelet and stopped to admire them briefly then shook my head and placed it into my small leather pouch. I would visit my hawker, Hawkeye, tomorrow.
I replaced everything and then headed quickly toward the balcony window glancing at the clock and muttered an oath quietly. It was only two hours till dawn at most. Today was going to be a long day. I exited onto the balcony trying to stick to the shadows and evaluated my best way down. I chose to climb the huge ivy vines that were creeping up the sides of the mansion they looked thick enough and attached enough to hold my weight. I released a brief sigh of relief when my feet touched the ground which was short lived when I heard the nephew’s voice once again but it was rougher and more irritated than before.
“WHAT. Exactly. Are. You. Saying?” He enunciated as if the person were rather daft.
I quickly hid in the shrubbery and made myself as small as possible, thankful for the numerous trees that cast shadows in the glow of the moon, onto the yard and for the convenient bush that had been planted right where I needed to hide.
A nervous voice answered, “We searched all of the rooms, Sir. W-we found no one matching your d-description.”
I heard him take a deep breath and then bite out, “So she just disappeared, is that what you’re saying?”
“Uh… yes?” the man answered hesitantly as if afraid to lose his job or his life. I wasn’t too sure which.
The nephew sighed deeply. “Thank you.” He said curtly and then I heard the trample of gravel…coming towards me.
Mighty currents this was bad, I held my breath and stayed still. And released it slowly after he passed by.
I waited a while to be sure that no one was going to come back. Then I sneaked over to my mount on the bordering property and started home. Exhaustion plagued me making me slump over onto the horse’s neck. My injuries were starting to seep out blood and I ached all over. I longed for the hot springs in the valleys of the Fertile Mire.
I sighed as we trotted carefully through the uneven forest path that led to the main road. Once we reached the main road I advanced into a gallop to the local town’s stables. I put her back in her pen after taking care of her. She had been a good stead so I left a handful of oats for her after I rubbed her down. I left a note and a small portion of coins to cover the price of using her. Then I headed toward home on foot. My home was an abandoned old overgrown manor inside the Cobalt Forest; well I guess you could call it one of my homes. I have many spots throughout Oceana that I can stay in, and none of them are easy to find.
I wandered the forest that I was so familiar with and headed back to catch some sleep.
A sigh left my mouth as I saw the central balcony and debated on the wisdom of either climbing up the ivy or using the service passageway. I decided I was too tired to travel the ivy vine yet again tonight. I climbed often, as I found it rather enjoyable. I glanced down at my already healing hands. I was extremely grateful for my kinship to water as it sped up my healing process exceedingly well. My leg on the other hand would take a while longer; its cuts were a touch deeper than those on my hands.
I scaled up the stairs quickly and stealthily slid open the door to the hall. I scanned it quickly both ways listening intently for the thump of a heart beat or the rush of blood indicating someone was coming. Another odd thing about me, I can hear someone’s heart and blood if I concentrate, something that I found out on my twelfth birthday. I quickly learned to not tell anyone about this, you grow up swiftly when you are at odds with those around you. And I always check for people in this home. After all you never know when someone is going to show up unannounced. It wasn’t as if I had laid claim to the land. Someone else had that and I always feared that they would just appear one day to reclaim their mansion.
Hearing none I sped towards my room being as quiet as possible. I relaxed my guard the moment the lock clicked shut as I closed the large wooden door that weighed more than I did. If anyone were able to find this place and then get past all my little traps than this wouldn’t stand much of a chance but it was reassuring none the less. I stripped my clothes and my bag tossing them in a box and pushing it under my bed into the hidden floor compartment. Then I freshened up with the water in the bowl on the stand next to my bed. After making the water on my skin evaporate, I slid on flannel and deer skin shirt that stopped just below my bum and slid into the covers of my bed, eager to put the night’s events behind me. Unfortunately my mind raced as my body tossed restlessly aching still from the stress I had put it through yet again.
How had I gotten the address wrong? Was Ciggy ok? Was the nephew going to continue to search for me? A shiver of dread ran down my spine at the thought. While the man himself had not been atrocious our meeting had been. Hopefully I wouldn’t have to see him again. I passed off getting the address wrong as creature miscalculation and told myself that if Ciggy wasn’t ok than it wasn’t because of something I had done because I had seen lights on the roof when I left. And as for if I saw the nephew again, well then I’d cross that river before it drowned me but otherwise I’d avoid thinking about it.
Slowly I managed to banish every thought till I slipped into a deep sleep.
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Edited 1-26-13